Cold Days  My fanfic of the awaited Dresden book
by tvanimal
Summary: While eagerly awaiting Jim Butcher's new book "Cold Days", this is my own attempt to expand on his works and to continue the adventures of our favourite wizard  its not HP . everything belongs to Jim Butcher.
1. Chapter 1

**Cold Days – My Version**

Chapter 1

I thought I had seen a lot in my brief life.

I was wrong.

The only feeling I recognized was the ice-cold grip of Mab's hand on my arm as she guided me to wherever we were going. Apart from that though, it felt like my whole body had turned into an icicle and my mind was about to split open from the assault on my wizardly senses.

That's right, I said wizardly.

You see, I am a wizard. Check the yellow pages of Chicago if you don't believe me.

About six months ago I was shot and nearly died. At which point the Faerie Queen of Winter and Darkness, Mab herself, personally saw to sustaining my life with help from the genius loci of Demonreach, the nature spirit of an island in the middle of nowhere. Her powers taxed to the limit from her exposure to Summers influence, I also discovered how much Mab hated someone escaping her grasp, especially me it appears.

When I could finally open my eyes, I shuddered and took an involuntary step back before the grip on my arm tightened. We were at Arctis Tor, the fortress of the Winter Court. The same fortress I had assaulted with some of my friends to rescue a young Molly Carpenter before she was my apprentice.

Now though, it looked different. Battlements manned by lords of the Sidhe were everywhere, the Winter Court were at the fortress in numbers. Not just that though, I could also feel the power of Winter surrounding the fortress like an aura. An icy tingle ran through my body as the mantle of the Winter Knight within me recognized the source of its power, giving my body a boost of energy and erasing the aches and pains of my prolonged sleep on Demonreach.

I instantly felt better than I had in ages. I had forgotten what it felt like not to have aches and pains cover half my body and feel beyond tired in the recent struggles.

It was then that I noticed what I was wearing. A robe much like a wizards robe covered my body, except that it was icy blue with sliver thread cinched across the waist and the neckline. My arms were bare and yet did not feel the cold, my shield bracelet around my left wrist and silver rings around each finger. A comfortable weight around my neck told me that my mother's pentacle was still there. None of these details I had noticed back in the cave, and yet here they were.

I turned to Mab in shock, and she smiled in reply to reveal the wizards staff that my grandfather loaned me in her other hand.

"Welcome to my domain, my dear Knight" she crowed in pleasure as her sunken features began to fill out to reveal her usual, recognizable face. "While you slept, I went to the place where you fell and retrieved your wizardly possessions from the boat. Unfortunately someone had already beaten me to the Swords that you also stored on-board; one of your friends I imagine took them and found another place to hide them."

"What a pity," I drawled, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I extended my hand towards the staff as Mab allowed me to take it from her hands. "What are we doing here?"

"Why, we are celebrating your succession as the new Winter Knight of course. And afterwards, maybe you can par-take a few of the pleasures you missed out on the last time you turned up to one of our little gatherings." Mab said, as her voice dropped to a sultry whisper that caused my pants to tighten in reply and Mab to smirk slightly.

Turning back to the looming structure ahead, it took a moment for me to realize that not one mark adorned the surface of the tower from our attack on it, or the smell of hellfire used by one of the Fallen as part of the Black Council.

With a slightly satisfied sigh, Mab released my arm and gave me a slight shove in front of her before setting off for the fortress at a leisurely pace. It seemed as though she wanted to parade me in front of the other members of the Court as if to say, _this wizard is now mine_.

Mab's stronghold was a fortress of black ice, an enormous, shadowy cube sitting high up the slope of the highest mountain in sight. A single, elegant spire rose above the rest of the structure. Flickers of green and amethyst energy played within the ice of the walls. I couldn't make a good guess at how big the thing was. The walls and battlements were lined with inverted icicles.

Just like the last time I was here, I noticed that we were headed for the open gate built into the structure that reminded me of the teeth of a predator. Though this time, the bones that lay on the ground were now gone and replaced with what looked like fresh snow fall, the damage done to the portcullis and the smell of hellfire were also long gone. I gritted my teeth to keep myself from asking Mab about the circumstances that caused such an attack on the centre of her power, _now is not the time to ask_ I thought.

Passing the Sidhe lords, who bowed slightly in our direction as Mab passed and with a look of surprise at seeing me shadow her footsteps, we entered the open gate and into the tunnel beyond. Reminding me yet again of a train tunnel back in Chicago, we walked in silence until we reached the courtyard on the other side. As before, there were no signs of doorways to secret corridors and rooms visible to me, the spire rising ahead of me and the stairway to the battlements were all in line with my recollections of the place.

Like a woman leading a show-dog through his paces, Mab gracefully swept across the courtyard and straight up the stairwell in the spire with me in pursuit. When we emerged out onto the garden I had trashed last time I was here, my jaw dropped.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

We had emerged onto the parapet, an area a hundred feet across and covered in ice sculptures. The last time I was here it reminded me of a prison and I had found the last winter knight in eternal torment from Mab's displeasure. I gulped down hard before I noticed some subtle changes. Whereas before, when it was just a prison for Sidhe and mortals alike, it was now converted into a grotto with a banquet set right in the middle. Most of the more ugly sculptures had been removed for space needed for guests and yet, the horror frozen on the faces of those who remained chilled my heart every time my eyes fell on them.

Amongst the imprisoned people entombed in ice, there were about 50 Sidhe lords milling around the scattered tables, upon which food and drink now lay. Though the food looked enticing beyond reason, to my stomachs growing pleasure, I remembered the time when a young werewolf and I last got offered food at a gathering of the Winter Court. Sure enough, as soon as the memory came forth, the Winter Lady herself, Maeve, appeared beside me in a similar outfit to what she wore last time; a shirt revealing far too much of her abdomen and a pair of jeans cut up to reveal more leg than I deemed appropriate for someone who resembled a teenage youth.

"My, my, look who came in from the cold Wizard Dresden", she said as she stopped in front of me and ran a lacquered fingernail down the front of my shirt; my skin tingling as her touch passed across it.

"My Lady," I replied with as much irony and sarcasm as I could manage as I pointedly looked her over from top to bottom.

"I see you still deny your deepest desires, my dear Knight. Jenny has asked me to remind you she still wishes you to take up our offer of a night together. I'm sure your new position as Winter Knight would give you the stamina to make the event last so much longer and more memorable, "she added, her voice seeming to caress my whole body as her touch reached my waistline.

I grabbed her hand before she could continue her downward movements, my body screaming in protest as erotic images flashed behind my eyes of me bedding the two Sidhe women.

"I don't know about that, my succession to my present position was topped off with some alone time with Mab and I haven't fully recovered from that yet. I also wouldn't want her thinking I need to go elsewhere for more satisfaction, it might give her the wrong idea." I said with a touch of venom in my voice, Maeve's beautiful face marred for a second as anger flashed across it.

"Be careful with your words, Knight. I still have not forgotten your rudeness the last time we were amongst members of my court. You may find that many of my Queens subjects do not hold you in the same esteem as she does and may challenge you if you show this kind of contempt in front of them." Maeve retorted angrily, as gazes shifted our way in response to Maeve's raised voice.

_Hah, Sidhe lords who have it in for me, that's new_ I thought to myself. I did however force myself to adopt a straighter pose and acknowledged Maeve's warning with a tilt of my head in her direction accompanied with a small smile. _I already have enough enemies and the Sidhe are enough trouble as it is without me insulting them whilst surrounded in the present company,_ I reminded myself.

Our conversation was cut short by the return of Mab, who had been talking to a Sidhe Lord that had followed us up from the battlements. The winter Queen clapped her hands together and marked the arrival of a fresh flurry of snow falling from the sky, as the guests all bowed their heads in our direction and cleared a path to the tiered platform in front of us.

As Mab looked at me pointedly, I offered her my arm and as she took it we walked graciously (in her case anyways) towards the food-laden table and the throne that stood beyond it. As we took up our places, I held the chair out for Mab as everyone waited on her to seat herself before taking their own seats. The moment she did, the guests attacked the food with gusto as a band came out from behind a veil and struck up a chord_. More mortals who obviously regret whatever circumstances brought them here_, I thought.

Although I refrained from eating the food in front of me, I was famished from my six month diet of an IV and little else, Mab noticed me eying the food with longing. "The food is not tainted you know, there is enough work for you to do without being glamoured over some morsels of food."

"What work? I told you I won't be bound like a common mortal my Queen. I need to return to Chicago and my other friends and allies. They all think I am dead and they need my help." I said as I finally reached for some food and eyed her suspiciously.

"For one, I still have not found out who attacked Arctis Tor before you and your _allies_!" Anger creeping into her voice and her appearance as she bit off that last word.

"I have my suspicions already. One of the Fallen known as Thorned Namshiel is looking a likely candidate, not to mention others like Tessa Imariel and Rosanna." I supplied, as I watched for Mab's reaction to the news whilst stuffing food in my mouth; I had forgotten how hungry I was, and fae food or not it was really good.

"Hah, those pretenders of Old powers. It had to have been several in order to cause destruction on the scale that they did, maybe they all took part in the attack."

"Either that or they had help from some mortals with major league talents. It would not be the first time that we have seen a traitor on the White Council, one that has remained well hidden in the past."

"You would name yourself and your allies as suspects?"

"No, I wouldn't and neither should you. The only reason I'm here to begin with is because I have to put out the fires these people start. Besides, I don't know everyone on the Council and can only vouch for a handful anyways."

"So you have kept your eyes out too? I thought you might've out of all your kind, except maybe that old desert fox that sees most things and misses little," Mab mused, more to herself than to me. "I know what they say about me, even amongst my own court, about how I'm going mad and going the same way as your godmother did not so long ago."

"And is what they say true then?" I asked, fearful of her answer and of my own impudence at asking such a question.

Mab's eyes flashed with anger, "If anyone else were to ask me such a question, they would soon be sorry they did." The fire in her eyes died a little as a hint of a smile crossed her face, "However, you are right to ask. The answer is no, I am not going mad. I have had to distance myself from my own subjects after I have felt someone try to gain access to my mind a few times amongst recent events. After learning what I needed from your godmother, I was prepared for such a futile attempt from within these walls where I am strongest in both will and body."

My eyes flicked across all the guests in attendance before asking, "And where is Lea? Surely you would not deny her the chance to see me led about on your arm where she failed to?"

"Your godmother goes where I tell her to; evil things stir even now in the mortal world. Your victory over the Red Court displaced so much power from your world that powers and beings even the Fae Courts have reason to fear have begun to awaken. Right now your godmother is fulfilling her duty as teacher to your apprentice to still the tides of change."

"Even more reason for me to get back to Chicago and aid in restoring order. What else could you want from me?"

"I don't just want you my dear Dresden, I want your allies too" she replied smugly, as though this is the turn in the conversation she was expecting all along.

""What do you mean?" I asked in surprise and suspicion.

"You will go to the White Council in Edinburgh as my Emissary. Once there you will find out all you can about the threats they are dealing with and as much as you can about these Fallen. I also want you to go to those you trust and convince them that I can be a valuable ally to those who would stand side by side with you at Chichen Itza."

"Is that all Mab? You are the least trusted of all the Sidhe queens and you would ask this of me, your latest victory?"

"You will do this. It is in your nature and the balance of power must be restored to what it was if your mortal realm is to survive. Remember, it was you who asked for freedom in all your tasks and thus do I give it to you."

"What? I go about my business as I did before? Without being bound in any way?" I asked.

"Think of my capacity in this like you would a client, as if this is one more favour for me. In return, I would owe you a small repayment for services rendered." Mab replied with her arms out at the sides in a token of truthfulness.

I was silent for a moment. Mab was bound by the laws of her kind to speak only truths and yet I had reason to be suspicious, but I could think of no way in which to justify it. She had spoken plainly throughout the whole conversation which was odd enough and now she had agreed to remove me of my shackles but not of my power.

After thinking it over I asked, "When do I leave then?"

"Soon, Wizard. Midsummer has come and gone and now Winter gains its strength again as it always has. You on the other hand must rest. Your injuries may not pain you now but a short sleep will ensure they do not return as you leave this place. I will personally ensure you are not disturbed for the duration of your all-too short stay here."

Though I stumbled over the thought that Midsummer was in late June and I had not realized that time was passing all too quickly for my liking, I could also sense truth in her words. Expanding my wizards senses slightly, I could tell there was a subtle exchange of energies between me and the surrounding area. The mantle of Winter Knight was helping me recover more quickly amongst the, almost alive, symbols of Mab's power, energy flowing all around me helped displace the aches and pains of a gunshot wound that I had basically asked for myself.

With that Mab rose from her seat, everyone else hastening to imitate her as she descended from the table and led me back to the tower at the end of the garden. After being led into the darkness of the tower, we descended to the courtyard and into another concealed entrance in the surrounding walls. We were also now joined by a pair of Sidhe guards who eyed me as though they had drawn the short straw with assignment duties. Finally Mab stopped outside a short section of wall that opened up into a small room with little more than a cot and a sink.

"These are your quarters for when you stay here at Arctis Tor. Anything else you need, just ask the guards and they will see to it. Now though you must rest, when you wake up you will set forth from this place and seek the Council as I have asked. I know of your mothers gift to you and the knowledge within is sufficient to keep you from straying onto darker paths in the Nevernever and will give you a straight line to Edinburgh." She paused as she eyed the pentacle around my neck before turning and saying "Good luck, Wizard and may you find what you seek." With that, she spun around and was soon lost to a turn in the corridor.

I acknowledged the two guards with a graceful nod before entering the small room, the door automatically shutting behind me as I passed through. I didn't even bother removing my clothes or releasing my grip on my grandfather's staff before I fell on the bed in a heap and passed into the realm of dreams.

My last thought being of my family and friends who thought I was dead and wishing I could be back at my apartment with the comfortable weight of Mister and Mouse nearby.


	3. Chapter 3

Very long chapter coming up - Forgive the larger font size than previous chapters as it might be easier for you to read. (it also looks as if I've written more )

Hope you like, I've tried to address any comments you have like me overlooking Jenny Greenteeths death in a short story in the last chapter so thank you for pointing it out to me.

Anyways keep reading!

**Chapter 3**

I woke up as soon as it happened. I didn't realize what it was until after a few moments, but when I did, I couldn't help smiling slightly at the irony of the situation. It was the abrupt end to the flow of energies that passed through my body that had brought me out of my sleeping state.

I was healed!

The smile on my face reflected the fact that it had been so long since I had been completely free of pain I had forgotten what it felt like not to have a broken nose, not to be covered in bruises and wishing I could sleep for a week. The irony was that I felt like this and I was a guest at Arctis Tor as Mab's new ally and not as a servant to her wishes.

I rose from the bed slightly unnerved by the lack of pain that usually accompanied such a motion before going to the sink. Next to the sink was a mirror I had not noticed the night before, though I could've been mistaken for missing it as it was just a vertical sheet of ice if you looked at it from the wrong angle. I used the mirror to help adjust the robe I still wore and to try and adjust my unruly hair, noticing that the ruby set into the amulet around my neck gave off a harsh light in contrast to the rest of me.

Taking a sip of the water from the sink almost froze me on the spot. I was not afraid of it being anything other than water as Mab gave her word, but its chill rooted me to the spot so successfully I might've been an ice statue for a split second. When I was done, I picked up the staff and made sure everything I had was on my person before I exited the room.

The two guards were still outside and as I emerged from the room, automatically turned on the spot and led me quietly out the way we came. When we returned to the courtyard, they led me towards the gate that stood open for me. Still inside the tunnel they motioned that I go the rest of the way myself so the gate could then be closed behind. With a silent curse to their lack of hospitality, I strode through the gate and into the desolate snow plain as the gate gave a thunderous boom as it closed behind me.

After a few steps, I grasped my mother's amulet and the knowledge within told me that on the other side was an abandoned town in Alaska. A few yards later, I consulted it again and it told me the other side was now in Iceland. I reasoned that the snowy reaches of Arctis Tor were somehow connected to the polar reaches of the mortal world. I started to walk to get further away from Arctis Tor to get a closer hit to Edinburgh. As my fading vision beheld the fortress one last time, I saw Mab amongst the defenders, somehow clearer than those around her and I could've sworn she looked right at me before disappearing in the distance.

Half an hour of walking later, I consulted the amulet again and got information on two ways nearby; one being in Glasgow which is damn close to Edinburgh, the other however was Chicago. I realised that this must be a way to the cinema that I took to rescue Molly. In that moment, all I wanted was to step into my hometown and see my friends again and at least let them know I was alive.

Remembering Murphy cry as she realised I might be gone forever broke my heart in two, as well as the look on Molly's face as I realised she was slipping the bounds of her sanity. Those and a hundred other visions of the damage I had caused in Chicago glued me to the spot as I realised that they were all on the other side of a Way in front of me.

Ten minutes later, the urge to see them dimmed to cold, calculated reason. I couldn't do them any good by disobeying Mab. Even if I wanted to, the Council was still my best hope of solving the problems quickly and getting specific information fast.

With a heavy heart and a deep sigh of regret, I turned away from Chicago and opened the way into Glasgow.

I came out onto a dark street in the middle of the night. Shops and small taverns were dotted on either side of the road, even with the late hour, some were still open. Turning aside from a particularly inviting looking bar with more than a few patrons still inside, I walked down the street with my hand occasionally touching the amulet to correct my course. _Unless I want to get beaten up for wearing this "dress", a drink can wait_ I thought as I passed a drunk man swaying on his way home give me a second look after he saw my robe shimmer in the streetlights.

After opening a second way, I found myself a stone's throw from the entrance to the Councils headquarters. The path led to a clearing and in the centre was a mound of earth about a dozen yards across and almost as high, thick with stones and vines. Massive slabs of rock formed the posts and lintel of a black doorway. Instead of the usual lone figure in a grey cloak, there were three figures that stood beside the doorway; amongst them was the lean young man with sharp cheekbones cobalt blue eyes. Beneath the grey cloak, he wore an expensive suit that I could never have afforded ever, with a pressed shirt and a light-coloured tie. A black bowler topped off the ensemble along with the usual silver-headed walking cane in his right hand.

The other two wardens however were guarding sections inside the tunnels last time I was here. Indeed one of them nearly took a shot at me when Peabody betrayed the Council and tried to run away.

All three of them came alert as I approached and even when they saw who it was, they were not eager to lower their weapons, not even Chandler, who I was on good terms with. Their faces registered complete shock as I stepped up to them with arms out wide in a peaceful gesture.

"Ho there, Steed! It's just me, your not-so-well tailored friend from across the pond. What's with the hostility?" I asked jovially, eager to disarm the three deadly enforcers of the Council.

"Dangerous times Harry, if it really is you. I heard you were dead?" Chandler replied in his Oxford accent.

"Bahhh, I just took a ride on the ghost train until I decided to get off. It just wasn't for me in the end, you see. What news from our Senior Council?"

"Nothing concrete to give you, I'm afraid. A lot of weirdness raised its head after whatever happened to the Red Court and no one has any answers. Wizard McCoy is aiding the Wardens in dealing with some nasty beings from the Nevernever and we could sure use that Knight you had aid us against them the last time." Chandler said with a searching gaze.

"No can do with Michael. He's retired and now living under the constant gaze of some guardians not even the Merlin would dare mess with. I don't know about Sanya, but the other swords need masters and there are none to be found last time I checked." I answered, watching as the wardens tried to make sense of my answer. The Knights of the Cross were not well known amongst the magic community, even amongst those close to the Senior Council.

"Man that's a shame. I saw only a glimpse of the man, but his entire body looked like it shone from within and that sword of his was a living flame. None of the vampires within its light survived. You brought his little girl for trial when he arrived, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yeah well, I figured I owed the man to look after Molly. Even though I haven't helped her recently." I added, wincing at the truth of the words.

Chandlers face became troubled as well, "I have heard some reports from your neighbourhood as well regarding her. The new man on the Senior Council is pushing for her execution and yours Harry, because of the Doom placed on you both, and the Merlin is obviously being pressured to agree."

"Pressured? Really? I thought the Merlin would have had a celebratory tea party when he heard he could get rid of me" I said, my eyebrows raised.

"McCoy and Injun Joe have countered that there is no evidence to convict either of you to death. It seems that the supposed victims of your apprentice weren't killed by her at all but by each other or third parties and with mortal weapons. According to them, there is no evidence that the girl has broken her probation apart from her recent lack of education under your tutelage."

That's what Molly had said. A veil here and an illusion there had been as efficient a way as any to get scum off the streets and into body bags.

"And that's why there isn't a bigger Warden presence in Chicago to hunt her. They just want to get her here to see for themselves whether the Doom should be lifted or her head falls?"

"Aye, but for some reason, Warden Ramirez is coming up empty on the search. Very soon he will have to go to Chicago in person and look for himself on the ground." Chandler mused. Chandler knew as did others that me and Ramirez were friends and probably knew his efforts were half-hearted at best.

"Aye good luck to him, she is devilishly tricky when it comes to veiling herself and staying out of sight. As for her teaching, let's just say that someone else is dedicated to her advancement in our ways." I said cryptically. "Time presses me however on another matter, so where can I find McCoy at the moment."

"War Room I'd imagine. The guy practically lives there now and he's constantly complaining about not being back at his farm. Go easy on him though Harry, he never accepted that you could be dead and seeing you again might be like watching a damn break...or worse."

I started. I completely forgot about my grandfather in my musings, never imagining that less than a day after telling me I was family, news would have reached McCoy and the Council that I might be dead.

Shaking my head off any more cobwebs, I put on the solemn and formal sincerity required for the ancient protocols as I said, "Thanks Chandler. I now seek entry to the Hidden Halls, o Warden. May I pass?"

Straightening, Chandler sobered up and with a twitch of his head, nodded, saying "Be welcome to the seat of the White Council. May you enter in peace and depart in peace."

Chandler stepped aside as did the other two silent guards. With a nod to all three, I took a deep breath and plunged into the darkness beyond the archway.


	4. Chapter 4

Next chapter coming up.

Thank you for all the comments, I really appreciate you having the time to put them up. It just makes me wanna keep going with it. As I'm sure you're all aware, I am not a fan of the submission procedure on this site and if you want an easier time reading this story just copy and paste this to go to /spots/dresden-files-series/forum/post/162546/title/cold-days-version-new-dresden-files-book

Here you go.

**Chapter 4**

The catacombs and tunnels below were extensive and it took me a good fifteen minutes to navigate them and find the war room. Several times I came across wardens and their stone temple dogs, eliciting looks of astonishment from them and even an interested sniff whenever I got close to their four-legged companions. The torrents of raw energy beneath my feet, from the ley lines, making my hair stand on end and my pace quicken. Before long, I was admitted into the War Room where several Wardens were milling around or grabbing some sleep on the comfortable couches scattered around the room.

I gazed around the room to find McCoy sitting in a quiet corner all by himself; with his head rolled to one side he might've been asleep. I didn't have a chance to find out though as he stirred and turned his head in my direction, responding to the sudden quiet that had descended on the room. All motion had stopped as heads turned in my direction, before they resumed whatever they were doing with a nervous quickness that preceded vacating a room as soon as possible.

When only McCoy and I remained, he rose from his seat and approached me slowly, eyes locked on my own. When he stopped right in front of me, I smiled uncertainly at him before saying "Gramps," in a quiet tone.

"Hoss, my boy" was all he could get out before suddenly catching me in a rough hug, tears gathered in the crinkles of his weathered face. Pulling back, he looked me over as if unsure it was really me and chuckling, said "Mab's work?"

"She has a great tailor and dry cleaning service if she doesn't Sir," I replied.

Ebenezar's booming laugh rang in the chamber this time accompanied by a smile that lit up his face, "good to see you my boy at any rate." He added.

"That it is," I said as I surveyed the room, "where do you think everyone went?" I asked, winking at him.

"Somewhere else I'd imagine, who knows. Now, what happened to you after we last saw each other because rumours about you have spread far and wide and I didn't know what to believe about any of them. Not that an old farm hand like myself pays attention to them anyways." He said as he seated himself in a nearby chair and motioned I sit as well.

So I made myself comfortable as I told him what had happened after we parted ways at Chichen Itza and how my excursion into the ghost plane had been a gamble taken by Uriel to correct the imbalance of my death and the lesson I had learned from the trip. I finished by telling McCoy of my conversations with Mab and my current investigation.

As I talked, I saw McCoy's face falter with astonishment and sadness in equal amounts as I described the darkness spreading through my hometown and my verbal sparring with Mab.

By the time I had finished talking and told him of the suspected involvement of the Fallen on the attack of Arctis Tor, he got up and started to pace slowly. "So you're here to find out all you can on these Fallen, their allies, and whether we have any recent intelligence on their movements?" he concluded for me.

Hey, you don't live as long as someone like McCoy unless you have the intellect he does.

"Where can I get the information I need, though?" I mused.

"Ancient Mai would be your best bet, especially when talking of the fallen. She did some research after we took to the field against the Reds and a lot of it concerned the possibilities of mortal involvement when dealing with the Outsiders." He said with a wry smile as I cringed. Mai scared the hell out of me and she didn't like me one bit after I dropped a challenge to the whole White Council a while back.

"Is she here now then?" I said with certain trepidation.

"Aye, she is. Most likely she's in the Crystalline Hall or the Offices. All of us have been rather busy as of late in the time since you've been gone Hoss, though whether your appearance here will bode well or ill with others remains to be seen I fear." He replied with concern etched on his face. "If you want I'll come with you and make sure she plays nice", he added.

"I could use the company in that case, Sir. Though knowing that Mab is finally ready to throw her weight in with us would give me a little wiggle room if Mai's distaste gives us problems."

Rising from our chairs, McCoy rubbed his legs as he said, "could use a walk to work out the stiffness in these aging limbs anyways." Shaking his head, he adjusted his robes before leading the way out through another door and into the damp corridor beyond.

Lengthening my stride to match his, we walked side by side through the extensive corridors and hallways, passing Wardens with more shocked faces every hundred or so yards. I offered the staff back to McCoy, but with a little shake of his head he refused, saying that he had brought a replacement from his farm and left it in his chambers here in Edinburgh. I was relieved I got to keep it, as it would have taken me ages to make myself a new one even if he had brought another blank for me.

Little conversation passed between us after that as we continued on our way, though we found comfort in it as we were happy with the company. Before long though, we passed another pair of Wardens and were admitted into the Crystalline Hall.

I'd only been in the Crystalline Hall once before, and only in passing through to get to LaFortier's chambers a few years back but the place was huge. Spanning an area nearly as large as the Speaking Room, it was representative of its namesake. Embedded within the granite walls were precious gems that glittered in the soft glow of lanterns that gave off a warm glow. Rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds and other precious gems and metals were scattered throughout the Hall and the lighting made it look like each shone from within.

Whenever the White Council moved its headquarters, it usually took time to put up the nigh-impenetrable wards and other security protocols so during that period, time would be spent on areas like this. Things like the veins of gold and copper that laced through the granite were there already, but over time, the Council had hoarded a lot of the gems and the Crystalline Hall demonstrated the raw power upon which the Council was founded and what is still possessed.

Standing there with my mentor and grandfather at the entrance, I allowed myself a sweeping look around and was taken in by the grandeur which I had missed on my first pass. Aside from the gentle lighting of a thousand gems, there was very little else in the room. Small alcoves in the granite were filled with either bookshelves or writing desks and chairs where guests and some of the older and more permanent Council members could peruse the old, and sometimes crumbling, books, journals and scraps of parchment present.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 is up here for you lucky people. Enter Ancient Mai and general scariness. Thanks again for all the reviews.

A lot of you had issue with McCoy calling Harry My boy but apart from calling him Hoss I don't know how else McCoy refers to him really and my boy I think fits in with the characters of both, from mentor to grandson / student.

**Chapter 5**

In the middle of the hall however there was a big round table all by itself. Tall chairs with intricately carved backs and sides were seated all around and the table had Latin inscriptions engraved in concentric circles on its surface.

Sat on one of these chairs, facing us, sat a seemingly old and frail woman with Asian features and a weathered face. Looking up as we entered, her expression didn't change but for a tightening around her lips and a billow of dust as she rolled up the parchment she had been perusing.

Gulping slightly, I walked towards her as McCoy kept step. Contrary to her appearance, Mai was as deadly as any of the Senior Council and her bearing did actually scare me a little. Arriving at the table, I bowed my head in her direction as I took a seat a few chairs to her left. Mirroring me, McCoy took another on her right with a sly wink in my direction which Mai couldn't see.

"News of your death seems to have been exaggerated greatly, Warden Dresden" she said crisply as if she had half-hoped it had been true.

"I wouldn't peg you for one who listens to rumours, Mai" I replied in the same tone.

"Oh, but I do. Especially when listening to those coming out of Chicago. Worrying reports of magic being used in the murder of mortals and connections to your apprentice warrant the attention of this Council, as you well know." Her eyes now fixed on my face with a piercing gaze.

Crap! She knows about Molly and her recent actions.

"From what I heard, the mortals in question were murdered by non-magical means and not by magic." I said back.

"A fine distinction Dresden, I know when magic is used. Veils and illusions leave traces that cannot wholly be erased and at least half the bodies have that trace still on them.

"Can you also tell the nature of the magic used by the trace alone? No, you cannot, which is why you have not hunted Molly down yourself. There is also a slim chance of her being with her family which, if true, would mean you could not touch her. I have seen the guardians posted around that house and it would take more than the entire Council to even get close to her." I challenged. Molly was still my apprentice and dissuading Mai from attempting to go after her by telling a half-truth was worth it. Of course since I'd last seen her, I don't think Molly had contacted her family in a while apart from her brother Daniel who had been helping Murphy.

"That's enough Hoss, we're not here for your apprentice remember?" Ebenezar intervened before I could get into deeper waters with Mai.

Taking a breath, I looked at him and nodded slightly. Mai's expression cooled slightly as she cocked her head to one side, her gaze switching between me and my grandfather.

"Why are you here then?"

"To ask you what you know of the Order of the Blackened Denarius."

Mab's eyed narrowed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I knew that I had her complete attention now as her expression changed from annoyed to thoughtful and even slightly fearful.

"I know a lot about those creatures? You'll have to be more specific Dresden." She replied, all trace of her anger at me gone.

"Thorned Namshiel, Tessa Imariel and Rosanna. I want to know what they've been up to recently." I told her.

"The spellcaster Namshiel is easier to track than the other two. He's sloppy and he likes to use his signature strangler spell a little too much."

I winced at that, more because of regret than the memory of the pain the spell brought on. That spell cost us eleven Denarius coins and Michael's permanent incapacity from the Knights.

"As for Tessa and Rosanna", Mai continued, "They are harder to track. They like to stay in the shadows and rarely get their hands dirtier than they need to be to achieve their goals."

"From what I can tell though, intelligence has come through that they are attacking the Venatori and the remnants of the Fellowship of St. Giles in Europe and Asia. They also seem to be recruiting more people willing to accept the Fallens' coins and are making a point of staying away from places known to have the stronger members of this Council."

"Why those groups though?" I asked, more to myself than anyone in particular.

"Both groups are loyal to this Council Dresden. They also have close connections to the Church and to you and your friends."

"The Swords!" I said, suddenly.

"That has to be the reason for the attacks. With me apparently dead, they suspect that the swords are now vulnerable to attack. They have no way of knowing that the Church's greatest weapons aren't actually in the hands of the Church. They are still in Chicago, which has fallen prey to a new kind of scum in the absence of a full member of the Council."

"Who has the swords then, Dresden?" Mai asked with a certain amount of interest. Even McCoy seemed interested in my answer.

"I left them with Murphy. She still has them secured safely even if she is being pressured into wielding Fidelacchius full-time."

"A mortal? You left two of the Churches greatest weapons in the hands of a mortal who refuses to wield the Sword of Faith. If she picks it up whilst doubting herself, she could unmake it completely. You should have left it in more capable hands than hers, Dresden." Mai replied with a hint of anger.

"And yet, you were not there at Chichen Itza to witness the power she wielded through it. Every Knight is still only a vassal of a greater power and it revealed itself at the turning point." I retorted pointedly.

"Be that as it may Dresden, she refuses to wield it and she prevents others who are worthy from doing so as well. The three swords are barely enough as it is to hold back darkness without two of them missing in action."

"I did what I judged to be right. When Shiro left Fidelacchius in my care, he said I would know who to give it to. It is rightfully Murphy's."

"And that action might condemn us. Tessa and Rosanna are staying away from us here and in America, but we are also tracking the one known as Nicodemus. He followed the paths of the others across Europe until a few weeks ago when he abruptly changed course and returned to America. Even though his movements are hard to track, we estimate he has been there for two weeks and even worse, he is making a beeline for Chicago. It may even be him who has been giving information on your Paranet organisation to the Fornor in order for their tactics to be so effective.

"Nicodemus, are you sure?" I said as a chill ran the length of my spine.

"The one bonded with Anduriel and wears the noose of Judas, we are sure Dresden."

My mind was spinning. Why was he here? What business could have brought the de facto leader of the Denarii back to Chicago? He had stayed away from the place ever since that fight on Demonreach where I had hoped he had stayed under the shallow waters where I left him.

"From your reports to the Council, we are aware of your run-ins with this particular Fallen. What is his objective Hoss?" McCoy asked gently. I swapped glances with him beyond Mai's face and my heart sank. I knew what he was getting at, I knew because it was all too obvious to someone who had conversed with me for longer than five minutes.

Here were the facts: I don't have a lot of Council support. I don't give much lip service to the Church, which is a little ironic, I'll admit and I kept two of the Churches greatest weapons in my basement for an extended period of time.

"He knows the swords didn't leave Chicago, and he is back to claim and unmake them. There are plenty of demons in the far reaches of the Nevernever who could help him narrow in on it once he gets there." I supplied, as Mai's face lit up in realization.

"Why is he taking so long though? " I asked. "A walk through the Nevernever could put him in Chicago inside a day."

"The Ways through the Nevernever have heavy through traffic these days, with Council movements and forces from Winter and Summer keeping an eye on paths through their territory. It would be impossible for him to make the journey solely in this fashion without him being spotted."

"Him? You mean he is travelling alone?" I asked.

"More likely, he has sent others on different routes with a rendezvous plan once they reach Chicago." Mai said.

I rubbed my face in my hands before rising from my seat with a long sigh. McCoy mirrored me as he pushed his chair back from behind Mai as well. "Then we hit them at the rendezvous and scatter them, or we take them one on one before they can regroup", I said evenly, as if I was suggesting a gentle stroll in the park.

Mai stayed seated as she eyed me steadily before nodding slightly and glancing at McCoy. "You cannot aid him any further in this without informing the Merlin."

McCoy winced slightly before agreeing with another nod to Mai which was returned in kind. Turning around, both of us fell into step as we made to leave the Hall.


	6. Chapter 6

Hope you liked the last chapter, it was the most challenging I've written so far when it came to content. I tried to mirror JB's writing style as much as possible with the conversation between Mai and Harry.

**Chapter 6**

"That old bitch!" McCoy swore loudly as we re-entered the tunnels beyond the Crystalline hall. Retracing our steps he continued, "She knew I would have to agree with her. The merlin would never let me go with you and she knew it, and she can't arrest you for your apprentice's actions as you are winter's Emissary."

"Cutting me off huh? Gone into worse situations than this Sir"

"With help Hoss, with help! Everyone back in Chicago thinks you're dead. Unless you tell them different, you'll get no help from them."

"I'll figure something out. I have a plan, I think anyway." What I didn't add was my plan so far started and ended the moment I returned to Chicago

McCoy knew I was lying but thankfully didn't press. We walked the rest of the way in silence, eerily echoing our first pass of the tunnels. Walking straight past the Warden's Room we soon emerged at the entrance to Headquarters and Steed standing just beyond.

We both stopped and turned to face each other. Ebenezer drew me into a back-breaking hug once more, whispering "Luck Hoss," before withdrawing and putting a hand on my shoulder. I could see unformed tears in his eyes as they met and we solemnly shared a quiet look. It passed quickly as I squared my shoulders and, turning away from my grandfather, strolled up the path passing Steed with an exchanged nod and walked onwards.

Just before the entrance would disappear from view, I risked a look back to see McCoy's silhouette still there, barely visible. His shoulders were sagged and his body thinner than it should be, evidence that he had not looked after himself in recent months.

Concern and angst rippled through me as I forced my eyes back in front of the path and made my way back home at last.

I arrived in Chicago two hours later, by a car park adjacent to the piers. It was dawn by now and though dark, the pink of the sunrise was touching the horizon. The air smelled fresh and new energy surged in my limbs as I surveyed the area.

No one was around, a fishing boat leaving its dock the only evidence of human activity in sight. Watching the small trawler leave, I scanned the dock and was shocked to see my brothers boat still there. Something was wrong with this picture though.

I approached the boat and I noticed why. The paint was fading quickly, the police tape from my shooting was flapping wildly in the slight breeze and there was stuff all over its deck. In my demise, Thomas had obviously let this place go. I could sympathise, I would never have willingly returned to such a place myself.

As my eyes wandered over the stuff on deck, I noticed that some of it belonged inside and was torn up badly. I ventured onto the boat and inspected it closer, some of it was torn so badly the bed sheets resembled rags and shelves lay broken over cabinets.

Troubled by this, I opened the door into the small space inside. The place had been ransacked! Wall panels were torn off the walls completely and anything large enough to hold something inside, say a sword, had been torn apart and discarded.

Someone had been here looking for the swords! Murphy knew where they were hidden and didn't do this, which meant one thing, the Fallen were already here!

Visions of Michael Carpenter being filled with lead filled my head before changing, the face turning into Murphy's, then Molly's and the Alphas and so on. Bitter anger rose inside like a snake coiling to strike as I returned back outside and onto the dock.

It was then that I did something reckless.

Rather than letting my emotions flood out of me, I let them build up layer upon layer as I extended my senses_. Why shouldn't I put doubt and the fear of God in them?_ I thought as I concentrated on the water directly below me and the pier, taking its energy, its heat and storing it for the desired spell.

When the pressure became painful between the eyes, I raised my right arm to the sky and spoke in one thundering word, "Fuego!"

A pillar of flame five feet wide erupted from my hand and leapt skywards. The pillar would be seen for miles and would wake anyone with enough talent from a dead sleep, so I kept the fire raging for a full five seconds before releasing the energy.

Shaking from the effort, I knelt down beside the water Beetle and scratched symbols both on its surface and on the dock. Chicken scratching's to uneducated people; I put ward symbols in amongst foxfire sigils I remembered from Demonreach and symbols akin to those on my staff. Prominently in the middle of them I scratched a rough diagram of three swords crossing each other.

Finished, I hobbled off the dock whilst taking deep breaths. It was the concentration of turning the energy in the water into fire rather than the actual spell itself that caught my breath. Evidence of ice in a hundred foot circle showed the area I had affected with the spell.

I quickly turned away from the pier and set off at a brisk walk away from the scene, eager to get out of sight and see if anyone turned up. Taking refuge behind the gated entrance to the docks, I settled myself on an upturned box amongst discarded wood fragments which were concealed with a few rags of tarp. From my hiding place, I could see anyone entering the docks and the water beetle all in one glance.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, a sleek black car drove up to the gates. Blacked out windows and a familiarity to a government sedan set my hairs on end as it pulled into an empty bay before the driver's door opened.

The man who emerged from it could pass for an FBI agent. The pressed suit and dark glasses matched perfectly and there was nothing supernatural about his appearance in the slightest. I watched as he passed within ten feet of my position and continued onto the pier. For ten minutes I watched as he took in the symbols and photographed them along with the melting ice off the dock. He then started back in my direction as he put a disposable camera back in his pocket and came out with a cell phone before dialling a number.

"…. Arrived and no one is here. Whoever did it left markings though. Mostly warding symbols along with some I don't recognise…No, but there was something …there was something else. Whoever it was knew of the swords…..I'm sure, they were placed right in the middle and you can't miss them. I have photos if you want to see them yourself, I'm on my way back now before anyone can bring the police…." Was all I could hear as he passed me on the way to his car and climbed in.

I waited for the car to disappear round the corner before taking a deep breath. The conversation I heard troubled me. It seemed obvious now that whoever was just here was most likely a Fallen and thus maybe Nicodemus was on the other end of the line.

The guy turned out to be right about the police though because two minutes after he left, three squad cars from the local PD came through the gates. Approaching without sirens, they pulled up right next to the dock before getting out of their cars. I recognised one of the cops immediately as Henry Rawlins, an old head from SI. Why he was there with the other cops I didn't know but it was obvious the other cops didn't like him around. It was just another reason why SI was seen as punishment to all those who were assigned to it.

I watched from my hiding place as the cops looked at the former crime scene. The police tape had come loose and was now flapping in the slight morning breeze, Rawlins staring at it and the chicken scratch thoughtfully. I was sure Rawlins would recognise the symbols even if he couldn't place them back to my apartment and my staff from his rare visits.

It was then that I took a calculated risk. Leaning out slightly from behind my cover I envisioned a summoning circle in my head, and picturing Rawlins, called out, "hey Rawlins turn around!"

He instantly started at the pure mental shout, his hand going straight to his gun before he wondered aloud _"Dresden?" _before turning to face my direction.

Raising my hand in a slight wave, he zeroed in on my face and the colour drained from his face. He stared at me for a few seconds before turning to his companions and said something that didn't go down well with them, the other officers scowling at him before one of them nodded reluctantly. All the officers apart from Rawlins returned to their cars and left quickly, venomous looks back at Rawlins still visible as they passed me on their way out.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for all the comments guys. I really like telling this story to be honest as Harry Dresden is one of those characters which I instantly like, as much because of his dark past as his general snarky attitude so I appreciate all your opinions.

Anyways, here's your next

**Chapter 7**

I emerged from my cover and walked over to Rawlins as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. When I got close, he eyed me slowly before saying, "Heard you were dead Dresden?"

"Me too," I replied. "Someone in human resources made a mistake apparently."

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as if trying to smile as he said, "I'm glad you're back then, even if other people won't be. Karrie's a mess over your "death" and isn't even trying to get her badge back, and that's not to mention the sudden increase in weirdness since you disappeared. SI can't cope with the caseloads anymore and it was hard enough for Stallings to requisition a patrol car solely for our use."

"Why come here this morning though?"

"We got over a dozen calls fifteen minutes ago from terrified civilians who saw a fireball in the vicinity of the docks. They said they were woken from a dead sleep and a few of them even mentioned their unique abilities. That was when we paid attention to them, because we knew your brother's boat was here."

"You kept an eye on it, even after all this time?" I said, surprised.

"Normally we wouldn't have, but Murphy insisted to me and Stallings that you were still alive and we should keep an eye out. She's family so we promised we would and so here we are."

"I saw her a few months back and she looked a mess." I agreed quietly, wincing slightly at the memory of Murphy "have you heard from her recently?"

"We try and see her at least once a week; even if it's just to take her out for a drink and your friend Mac sends a care package as well. We are aware she keeps company with some of your other friends though, if that helps." He replied.

"Yeah it does thanks. Oh by the way, what's the date? It's hard to keep track of time where I've been."

He looked at me funny for a second before grunting and saying "Tuesday, September 12th Dresden."

That made sense as Winter would soon equal Summer's strength if it hadn't already which bodes well for my quest. I'll give it to Mab, she had timed it perfectly in sending me back out into the world. I turned to Rawlins asking, "What do you know about the increase in crime and general weirdness?"

"Only what Murphy tells us to be honest. Some bodies in the morgue have strange characteristics that officially have been written up as abnormal mutations and botched corrective surgeries. There has also been the occasional cop or politician whose bank accounts are a little too well balanced for their salaries turning up dead. A few paramedics and another mortician have been put down for compulsory therapy sessions over what they wrote in their accident and post-mortem reports. I could go on but everyone has to be really careful in how they write up anything now, it's only a matter of time before IA takes over the precinct completely."

"Damnit!" I swore. SI had a hard enough time taking cases with supernatural involvement and even good records of solved cases weren't enough for Internal Affairs and of course no one wanted to read the reports even though people were wary of what went in.

"What now then Dresden? You back for good?" Rawlins asked with a guarded expression.

He didn't look it, but on close inspection I could tell Rawlins wasn't getting much sleep and it looked like he had gone days wearing the same clothes. "For now, I have a case and it coincides with the things going on here. Afterwards though, I haven't a clue."

A shadow of relief passed across Rawlins face as he nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "We'll take whatever you can give us, that's for sure. What are your plans now?"

"Roam the streets for ideas on how to take down a new group known as the Formor and take on a group of Fallen angels, you know, just a normal office day for me." I replied.

"That's all is it? And you plan on doing all that dressed like that are you?" he said as he flicked his eyes down, a sly smile on his face.

I groaned as I followed his eyes. My brief visit to Edinburgh had erased from my mind the fact that I was still wearing a wizard's robe which looked as odd as it did feminine. The all too tight material didn't look nearly as flattering now as it had in Arctis Tor. The staff and the darker hue of the hood would only increase the number of stares I would receive on the streets.

"A change of clothes is pushed to priority one then." I answered with an embarrassed smile of my own. Wizard's robes may give an other-worldly appearance to others but only in dark shades of black and more black.

Humph" came the barked laugh in reply as Rawlins turned to his patrol car saying, "best be off then Dresden. Work in SI now starts an hour earlier than it did and Stallings would like some good news to start his day other than the coffee I can get on the way back."

"Thanks man," I said as we both walked to his car. Opening the door, he clambered in and started the engine, only taking two go's to do so in my vicinity which was a bonus and gaining a grudging grimace from the guy in reply.

I stepped back so he could leave before the car could die but before he did, he rolled down his window and said with a chuckle, "there's a Thrift store just around the corner from here that I spotted from my way in. Next to the docks, I bet it opens pretty early to catch the through traffic if you fancy something a little more inconspicuous." Finishing his sentence, his smile matched my glare as he rolled his window back up before taking off with a squeal of tires.

Gripping my staff, I followed the car as it disappeared back to the centre of the city. A ten minute walk later and I found Rawlins was right, a battered old store with a surprising amount of clothes inside was set into the recesses of a block marking the end of the docks and the start of the housing districts.

Settling myself onto the pavement, I had only to wait an hour before the owner of the store turned up. The sun had breached the horizon and the few people I saw up at such an early time were all headed in the general direction I had come from. The owner let me into his store as soon as he opened up; probably thinking I was a harmless though well-dressed vagrant from the streets.

Trying to ignore the attentive stare of the curious owner, I soon found some clothes that fit me well enough to wear in public. A loose fitting pair of jeans with a worn belt of leather, a red shirt which made me think its previous owner had been more a farmer than anything else and a greying trench coat that I picked out because it reminded me of my old duster. Stuffing my wizards robe into a small backpack, I then left the store thanking the owner and feeling much more like my old self, my appearance similar to that of old albeit with a slight odour of fish and old spice.

After leaving the store, I had a choice to make. Chicago is a big place and there were several places I could go for help and information, not to mention people I could see. Murphy, the Alphas, Michael, Molly and Butters were all possible destinations I had in mind. I also thought of my godmother, Lea, who was probably in town as well with Molly. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that Lea was my best bet for a first call.

With that, I took a seat on the nearest bench, closed my eyes and once more visualised a summoning circle in my head. Such a summoning on a purely mental level was hard enough, but after using the technique to summon an angel I was confident I could do it. Concentrating on her image, I called out, "Lea this is Harry calling, where are you?"

Her answer was immediate, "Hello godson, your timing is impeccable as always. I was just teaching your apprentice further in offensive techniques for veils and her demonstration is not going too well. Perhaps intervention is necessary on your part again." Along with her voice, my summoning circle included a visual on where my godmother was, as well as what was going on behind her.

At the edges of my vision, I could see Molly behind Lea stand against four tough looking men, all of them pointing guns at her. Before they could fire, she raised a veil not over herself but over them, blinding the men from seeing each other and then hit each of them with a blow of compressed air. Staggering back from the hits, each of the men were now turned in different directions and still blind to one another.

What was clear to me and Lea however was that after delivering those blows, Molly had veiled and created four illusions of herself, one illusion clear only to each of the men. From our vantage point we could see that while each man thought they had a gun trained on their illusion of Molly, in fact they were actually pointing their guns at each other, hidden by the veils my apprentice had erected. Before each illusion of Molly could raise a hand, all four guns went off in an explosion of sound.

When the guns went silent, the veils and illusions had disappeared to reveal four bodies lying on the ground, my apprentice off to one side breathing deeply in exhaustion. Lea looked at me surprised, holding my gaze, and then winked saying "she has talent. Tricking them with a fancy lights show to begin with caught even me off guard. A much better display of her ability in the end though, don't you think?"

I was amazed. Somehow Molly had gone beyond what I had seen her do in the past and created four illusions for four different targets in a blink of an eye. No wonder she looked tired now it was all over. I did however feel slightly pleased that Molly looked a lot better than she did last time I saw her. She looked cleaner and healthier, as if she had had a few good meals and some sleep, and was no longer wearing the cast-off rags she had worn before.

I looked back at Lea and said, "Looks like she's earned herself some food, don't you think godmother? I'm sure it is within your duty to provide it for her."

Smirking slightly after acknowledging the fact, Lea replied "I'll take care of it. We are not far from the food place she last went to with you."

I now had a destination. Nodding at my godmother, I then broke off our conversation and returned to my physical surroundings. Rising from my seat, I pointed myself in the direction I needed to go and set off at a brisk pace, eager to see my apprentice again.

What do you think guys?

Do you like the fact that I have Dresden use purely mental summoning rather than a crudely drawn circle on the ground?

What about Mab and Rawlins?

Comment as usual and as always, keep watch of this space!xx


	8. Chapter 8

First off, I would like to apologise for the time it took to put this chapter up. My only plea is that Work has been laid on me thick and fast.

Having said that, in my limited free time, I also fell prey to my biggest vice of loving books too much. A week or so ago, by chance I stumbled across the trailer for the new film, "The Hunger Games" and, intrigued, decided to pick up the book on which it is based. Not one to leave it at that, I was then compelled to read the other two books in the trilogy. And though I cannot apologise enough to those eagerly awaiting the next chapter, Suzanne Collins (the author) delivered a brilliant story of the depths of humanity, the good and bad. And I am grateful she has some input on the film that is to be released next month.

Trailer for the Hunger Games is; .com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s

You absolutely have to Check out both film and book.

Heres the next chapter as well, so Enjoy!

**Chapter 8**

Risking a short bus ride, I found myself outside the café ten minutes later looking through the window at Molly devouring some food and Lea sitting opposite her with a rigidity I found really amusing. It was like watching a weird conclusion to a failed mother-daughter day out. The waitress who served them kept looking in their direction with concern and whispering into the chef's ear. Hoping that they wouldn't remember Molly, I hesitated before marching through the door.

Walking up to the table, I sank into an empty chair and looked at Molly before saying, "Hey there grasshopper."

Her reaction was immediate. She froze with her breakfast sandwich hovering halfway to her mouth before raising her eyes to take in my face. The colour draining from her face, she snarled as she leapt to her feet in a flash, bucking the table and dislodging my grandfather's staff. I could feel her draw in energy as if ready for confrontation; her hands whipped out of sight and reappeared with her twin wands at the ready. "You dare use that appearance in front of me! How dare you use his likeness!" she shouted with hatred in her eyes.

I rose slowly to my feet. Dispelling the cloud of energy gathering around her with a wave of my hand and picking up my staff from where it lay fallen behind me. "Dare? Who would want to look like me anyway young Skywalker?" I said in my best Alec Guinness impression as Molly's face turned from one of anger to one of shock.

"He tells the truth Miss Carpenter, he is indeed my godson." Interjected Lea smoothly from her seat, as if nothing had happened.

Molly looked at Lea sharply before slumping back into her chair, tears threatening to run down her face, "you knew he was alive and you said nothing?"

"My dear, I knew only what Mab permitted me to know. His ghostly appearance a while back was a most risky gamble by the Quiet One and a gamble I did not foresee at that. Now, will you mind preventing the young woman who brought us food from phoning your authorities and detaining us from our tasks." Lea said as her eyes drifted to the waitress who looked on in shock from the kitchen entrance with a phone in hand.

Raising a hand and with a flicker of will, I muttered "Ventas," and the phone flew from the startled waitress's grasp and into my hand. Silence fell on the rest of the people in the café, who no longer cared about stealthy glances in our direction but stared openly at me and my staff, fear creeping into their eyes.

Laughter like that of a crystal bell sounded unnaturally loud as Lea clapped her hands together and said happily, "oh, I absolutely love mortals. They are so adorably ignorant of the world around them, and you my godson wonder why they are so willing to deal with my kind!"

"Peace godmother, we don't have time for you to make deals here. The Fallen are returning to Chicago and they are after the swords if they aren't here already," I chided her gently but forcefully.

Molly's face went from pale to deathly white as she whispered fearfully, "the ones who crippled my father?"

I turned to look at her fully then. Molly may be old enough to look after herself, but her father was an unstoppable force that was broken by Nicodemus and his kind. I went round the table and knelt next to Molly, taking her by the shoulders and looked directly into her eyes, unconcerned by a soul gaze. "That won't happen this time kiddo, I won't let it and neither will you." I said, finishing by looking at Lea pointedly.

That was when the damn broke. Molly collapsed into me as she started to let it all out in earnest and I slipped my arms around her. Racking sobs took a hold of her as she started to cry against my chest and I let her.

"You left us all alone, Harry. That was when they came and the city has gotten darker ever since," she said in between tears.

"I am so sorry grasshopper, I should never have taken you to Chichen Itza in the first place; never exposed you to that." I replied as tears threatened to fall from my eyes as well.

"It's not just that Harry. Even Marcone has admitted we might not have enough to win against these creatures. The image of the Ragged Lady has only brought more of them here and they are not going away. All of the Alphas have ended up in hospital at one point or another and Murphy has some kind of death wish ever since your ghost disappeared." She said as she withdrew from my arms slightly to look me in the face.

"The Paranet, what of them?" I asked.

"They are still suffering more casualties. No one has the power to defend themselves from these attacks despite the precautions in place. We have people watching out for Sanya, but no one has seen him and we had to stop Murphy from using Fidelacchius after that business with the Corpsetaker."

"Are you talking to her again then?"

Withdrawing from me completely, she composed herself whilst saying "she lets me stay at hers now. I can't stay with my parents at the moment, I don't want them in the middle of this, but Murphy insisted I stay with her instead of on my own."

"There's that at least." I said with a degree of happiness whilst retaking my seat from across her.

"What are you going to do now you're back, Harry? We need you here; I need you here, for without you we will lose. I don't have the strength you do and I'm tired of doing this by myself." She asked with an accusatory glance at my godmother, her weariness more than a little apparent.

"I'm not headed anywhere for now, evil things afoot and whatnot." I replied, mirroring her with a stare of my own at Lea. "I have my freedom to do as Mab asks, and that it was I shall do. She doesn't need to know how I go about it, as long as it gets done."

Lea's eyes went wide at that statement as she asked, "And why would she allow such freedom, my godson?"

"Because I promised I would be the greatest Knight in the history of the Winter Court as long as my will remains my own. Like you, I am an independent agent of Winter." I replied.

Her eyes sparkled in merriment at that as she laughed once more saying, "I bet she wasn't happy at that arrangement, my darling boy?"

"I couldn't tell, she seemed both happy and angry at the situation." I agreed wistfully.

"Hah, you have no idea. However, now is not the time to indulge in further conversation. With you back from the dead, my obligation to your apprentice is ended and you can have her back somewhat more refined than when you left her to me. I can now leave on more urgent matters."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Going to Summer and the wyldfae courts as Winter's ambassador to see if we can reach an understanding and deal with the threats we now find ourselves facing." She replied.

"Good idea," I agreed. "See whether Titania can commit the Gruffs to our cause, I fancy being backed in our corner by the Elder Gruff at least." I added, the memory of the Elder Gruff swatting aside the Fallen Magog as if it was a mere annoyance a fairly sweet one.

"We'd be lucky to get them as they are her personal enforcers, although the situation may be dire enough if the need is conveyed well enough," she said as she rose from her seat. Smoothing out the few crinkles in her robes, she then walked to the door, the other patrons watching her go as prey may watch a dangerous foe. Opening the door, she turned back and said to me "it is good to have you back godson, the world has been a boring and unexciting place since you've been gone, perhaps now we can have some fun once more." And with that statement she was gone.

I shivered slightly at those words as I remembered Chichén Itzá and the pleasure Lea seemed to have at striking down the Red Kings retainers.

I was also troubled by recent conversations. The Fae were renowned for twisting their words due to their inability to lie, but Lea was the second Sidhe of the Winter court to speak to me plainly in recent days and their forthrightness troubled me to no end. The burning question was, _how bad a threat can we be facing? _It is true that I have faced many fearsome creatures that should have left me dead to rights were it not for sheer luck and instinct, but I also believe that the finer talents my enemies possessed made them more than the equal to my brute force strength.

Pulling myself out of dark thoughts, I watched as Molly started inhaling the food in front of her once more, never pulling her gaze away from me, as though afraid I would disappear again.

"So no news from your family?" I asked her finally, as she came to the end of her meal.

"The occasional meal with them I guess, but the city is so dangerous now I veil myself every time I go over. Mouse also has to be the one to allow me in the house just in case I was an imposter." She replied reassuringly as she finished the last morsel of food on her plate. My heart racing as I tried to avoid asking after my beloved dog and the other, most recent, member of the Carpenter household.

"And how is Daniel? How are his injuries from the confrontation with Aristedes?" I asked as I remembered the numerous cuts he suffered at the hands of the minor league practitioner.

"He was fine within a day or two. The doctors patched him up and forced him to stay in the hospital a few extra days though because the cut along his thigh was close to the femoral artery. Dad forced him to stay indoors at night though and told him to take it easy where possible for a while as well. He's only recently re-joined patrols around the city, though at least he has the brains to ask me or some of the Alphas to go with him at night."

"What about Forthill?"

"He was in hospital a little longer due to his more numerous injuries and his age. A few broken bones including some ribs and a cheek bone required some minor surgery and nearly a fortnight in the hospital. Dad came to see him before his surgery and refused to leave until after seeing him come out and ended up staying the night. He's fine now, though a bit slower than before and the local members of the Paranet, including Anna of the Ordo Lebes help us keep an eye on him and include him in their protective circle." She said as she finished the remnants of her drink.

I nodded appreciatively at that as we rose simultaneously from our seats and made to leave. Molly paused to leave money for food as we passed the terrified waitress who had refused to come within ten feet of our table throughout our entire conversation. I also apologetically left the girl her phone on the counter in the off chance that it still worked. Though the other patrons had tried to look occupied as we swept passed them, there was an almost audible sigh of relief from them as we opened the door and closed it on our way out.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the wait on the next chapter guys, been working hard out in the real world and, well, I came home every night without any energy left for continuing the story. I did finally get an hour in which I could do a bit of writing and so this is the result.

As for the comments, thank you for taking the time to read and give me feedback. I couldn't resist having Harry use "Ventas" in the last chapter as just a showcase in dramatic magic but I also thought it exactly what Harry would do in a real Jim Butcher novel.

Onto separate news now, for those who care, I am considering writing a sequel to the inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini in the near future (set 200 years after the events of Inheritance, with at least one of Rorans descendants and Eragon returning to Alagaesia to confront a mysterious new threat). If you can comment on whether this is a good or bad idea, please do as I felt CP really let the hype and the fans down slightly with the final book.

Also, distractions for me this month will be; John Carter film (next week or so), Hunger Games film (next few weeks), Wrath of the Titans (end of month), American reunion (next month) and Lockout. If viewing these films at the cinema in any way impacts on future chapter submissions in terms of frequency then I apologise in advance. (I also caught the newest trailer of the Avengers movie-one word "Legend…" wait for it "…dary!")

Anyways next chapter up so Enjoy!xx

**Chapter 9**

We spent the next hour or so walking aimlessly through the city as I told Molly what had happened from the moment I disappeared after her mental battle with Corpsetaker. She seemed surprised when I mentioned my return to Edinburgh and then grew increasingly quiet when I told her of Mai's interest in deaths supposedly attributed to the Ragged Lady.

I tried to turn her mind aside from where it was heading by asking after recent events in Chicago since my disappearance. Apart from what she had already told me, I learnt that the Formor were now brave enough to kidnap people in broad daylight resulting in Marcone, as a Signatory of the Accords, asking for outside help from anyone, from the White Council to the Archive.

That surprised me. Marcone was not one to look for help unless it was really needed and he had no other option.

"What about his assistant Miss Gard?" I asked, the Valkyrie being a supernatural enforcer and a link to Monoc security and its CEO Donnar Vadderung, or Odin to people like us.

"No idea, she hasn't been seen recently. Marcone only tells us she has been recalled to Monoc Security." Molly replied in a worried voice.

While we talked, I struggled to come up with a plan to what to do next. I refused to involve Michael and Father Forthill unless it was a matter of personal safety whilst desperately seeking a way in which to speak to Murphy on my apparent resurrection. The only course of action open to me was to seek out Marcone and go from there. The advantage of this was simple, Marcone would get the help he needed in cleaning up the city, and I would gather more information through him and his connections throughout, not just the city, but elsewhere as well. It would also give me a slight chance of meeting up with Murphy and the rest of my allies.

Molly hesitated slightly when I told her we'd meet up with Marcone, but after agreeing to it, we set a course for my former apartment; Marcone's new headquarters.

My apartment was completely gone. The basement apartment I'd had for years was now part of a four-storied cubicled building that resembled a freaking fortress with heavily reinforced walls and points of entry. The main door was a half inch of steel, and as I approached, coupled with wards that caused my skin to itch. Wards I knew exceeded the talents of the Ordo Lebes.

_Gard must have helped with this before leaving_ I thought, as Molly punched some numbers into the keypad beside the door. A few seconds later, the same basso voice I'd heard the last time I was here came though the speaker box, "who goes there?"

Molly looked at me as she replied, "It is Molly Carpenter with the wizard Harry Dresden to see Mister Marcone."

Silence reigned for a few uncomfortable seconds before an answer came through as rough as only a soldier of Valhalla could manage, "come through the door with your hands readily visible and available for inspection."

The door opened to reveal two of the monstrous Einherjaren. The massive guards carried an array of deadly weaponry at their sides in the unlikely event that their sheer size wasn't enough to prevent someone gaining the passage beyond. The biker's leathers revealed rippling masses of corded muscle as they motioned for us to come through the door.

As I stepped through the door, I realised that the wards hadn't prevented me from crossing the threshold, a fact that hadn't been lost on the guards_. Looks like I pass the first test in any case_ I thought as I gave my staff to one of the men and showed him my person.

The man holding my staff looked it over with a growing interest before handing it back to me and clearing me. He was also the guy, Skaldi Skjeldson who had a bout with Murphy the last time I was here.

"You command the fires of creation?" he asked as he viewed my face.

"I can use Soulfire, it is true" I replied before asking, "how did you know?"

He shrugged before saying "Your staff carries remnants of energy only soulfire leaves behind. Marcone isn't here at the moment in any case."

Disappointed, I asked "and is Murphy here?" on the off-chance she might be.

Skaldi smiled, "small and mighty? She's upstairs and just finished a sparring session with one of the other guys. She's tough for someone of her stature, that's for sure. Hell, soon we'll be betting on whether she wins or loses and not on which round she loses to us on." I smiled in reply as I nodded to him before leading Molly through the building, my apprentice obviously surprised I got through the wards and how I knew where to go.

I led Molly up to the gym room; one massive floor with all the internal walls knocked down apart from small partitions separating the shower rooms and changing areas. It was from behind one of these partitions that Murphy emerged even as I entered the gym, her short, now slightly longer, hair wet from a shower and clad in street clothes.

Murphy saw me the moment I saw her and the second she did, her whole body stiffened and her face went white with shock as we slowly walked towards each other.

As soon as she was in range, she swung a right hook right at my jaw.

More out of reflex than knowledge, I turned my jaw to lessen the blow. Even with that slight move, it hurt, a lot. My brief repast from pain in the last few hours now gone with a ringing sensation in my ears and a burning spot on my left cheek, I responded with a hand on Murphy's shoulder to stop a repeat performance.

"You absolute arse Dresden! You said you were dead, and when your ghost disappeared I finally believed you. Without a body, no one could really accept you were dead until you said it yourself." She spat as she brushed aside my hand. She continued to berate me for a few more minutes, growing angrier with each minute. It took quite a while for her to notice that the entire gym had gone quiet in response to her tirade, but the moment she did, she glared at me sullenly and then walked huffing and puffing straight past me for the way out.

I made to follow her, to explain to her somehow that it wasn't my doing, but I didn't know how, or even where to start. If she objected to me dogging her footsteps with Molly in my wake, she didn't show it as we started to pass through rooms I don't remember from before, each hallway, each door reinforced to levels of paranoia even I found excessive. At last we came to a door which seemed to be our destination, this opened to reveal a slightly darkened room even with the lights on. As I adjusted to the dim conditions, I noticed some things; first, the room was filled with shelves of magazines and second, they were all of the romance variety. Taking in a few of the volumes made me feel uncomfortable in the presence of the two women nearby but before I could even blush, my eyes fell on a secondary source of light. In the middle of a ring of open magazines on a large table sat a skull, blue fire dancing in its eye sockets as it suddenly looked up and the small balls of fire flared.

"Hey Harry, how's it going," Bob the skull said in a cheery tone I'd never heard before; a cheery tone no doubt stemming from his newfound reading material.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you again for all your reviews and sorry for the wait on the next chapter. Damn you television and internet for your enticing treats.

This week I found a new show called Lost Girl (think true blood where Sookie is not a hapless damsel in distress every week)

As to your comments (the curious fan) I can offer several suggestions;

1) Dresden received the Winter Knighthood in December at the height of Winters power not at September which is when we are now (Winter protection depends on the time of year)

2) Dresden was given the green light to use the full power of Winter (incl. his godmother and her power) to complete his quest

3) More of a personal opinion but I think that when a magic-user manipulates energy needed to use magic, the energy itself is a sort of minor shield (cocoon-think Jean Grey/Phoenix in x-men last stand film)

4) Dresden had been completely pain free for a few hours beforehand for the first time in years so a slap in the face would be even more profound than a similar action in the previous books.

I could also say that when I wrote it, I also referred to emotional pain as much as physical pain.

Anyways thanks for the analysis (really needed to activate the old noggin there and re-read Changes).

Here's the next chap. For you guys.

**Chapter 10**

"Bob?" I stammered, "what are you doing here?"

"Taking a well-earned break from Butter's, what do you think I'm doing?" Bob replied as if the answer was obvious.

Nonplussed, I looked at Murphy for an explanation only to remember I'd just dropped a pretty major bomb on her. I them turned my gaze on Molly instead.

"Butter's had Bob going through magical theory with him, as well as having him ask his contacts in the Nevernever for information on the Formor," Molly supplied as Murphy grunted in affirmation.

"Well-earned?" I added.

"Some of my contacts had to be persuaded to help me. So soon after facing the evil version of me, I was not yet recovered to press them." Bob replied as his flaming eyes dipped to a sullen orange.

"What happened to you when I left?" I asked, fearful of the answer. The last time I saw Bob, he had rigged a Way to collapse after we entered it and he faced off against an amputated part of him that represented over a hundred years of very dangerous knowledge; knowledge acquired in servitude to the deadliest single wizard the world had ever known. Even Bob had been unsure of success against the missing part of his very being.

"Nothing I wish to impart to you just now Boss, suffice to say he won't be a problem anymore." Bob said in a regretful tone, obviously still sore over the whole ordeal.

I hesitated. What could you possibly say to that? A few seconds of silence later I asked "…and the magazines?" eager to bring back cheerful Bob.

It worked. Bob's eyes flared mischievously as the papers closest to him rustled in reply. "My reward for helping out here, of course! I help Butters ID bodies in the morgue that have died in mysterious circumstances and advise our little resistance on what the murderers might be or what they use to kill their victims."

"How come you're here now then and Butters isn't?" I asked.

"He's at work. Can't cart around a human skull without getting odd looks Dresden," Murphy snapped. At least we had moved on from single-syllabled grunts. "While Butters is at work, Bob stays with one of us which today is me."

"And you just leave Bob here by himself, in Marcone's compound?" I asked, unwilling to believe that Marcone would allow a resource like Bob to remain in a room like this.

"Marcone has contacts of his own to keep track of. He may not however, be aware of Bob's full usefulness and wisdom." Murphy said, with a small smile for the first time.

I smiled wistfully in reply. Pulling the wool over someone like Marcone was satisfying to see, even if we were technically allies in our mutual goals.

"Me so dumb-dumb, me want gum-gum," Bob aptly demonstrated with a lazy drawl. His teeth clacking together loudly as his jaw moved.

I couldn't help but chortle in reply. But I sobered quickly as I remembered everything, and everyone, else. I looked at Murphy and asked, "Where is everyone else then?"

"Billy and Georgia are at my house, guarding the Swords with Daniel. The other Alphas are either at work, or still at college. Marcone is at his offices downtown and Thomas…" she hesitated, suddenly staring at my face being falling silent.

"And Thomas is…what?" I asked, pushing for an answer I knew I wouldn't like.

Murphy shrugged as she looked to Molly for help as she answered carefully, "We don't know to be honest Harry. We haven't heard from him in weeks and what we have managed to gather from Justine in our calls to Lara is very cryptic and hasn't helped us."

"Has Justine been seeing Thomas though?" I asked as I remembered my last look at my brother; broken, dirty and despairing as Justine was trying to lift the curse of love from herself so they could be together once more. The look of loss in Thomas' eyes and the touch of pity from Uriel towards him pained me even more deeply.

"Lara has given us updates on his physical well-being, even though Justine has hinted that he rarely stays at the Raith estate. Every time we have gone round to his house, no one is in and the place is empty. We just don't know what to do with him." Molly added.

As my mind struggled to process what they were saying, I noticed Murphy wasn't wearing her badge or her gun at her side. "What about your job at SI?" I asked, mentally numbed from the news of my brother.

"Internal Affairs has dredged up old case files in their lengthy investigation into all of SI. Stallings is still in charge and tells me that they are just looking for reasons to shut it all down. I've been on paid leave the last few months after they found out about Rudolph's questionable bank accounts and housing arrangements but they still haven't given me my badge back yet." Murphy said with sadness etched into her expression.

"Rawlins said as much down at the docks. He didn't look good either," I said as anger flashed across the faces of not just Murphy or mine, but also Molly's. This war with our mysterious new enemy was slowly strangling the life out of Chicago and its inhabitants.

"And you still don't fancy accepting another job?" I asked Murphy into the subsequent silence with a jibing edge to the question.

"The answer remains the same as last time Dresden, as much as you would wish otherwise" she replied with a weary punch of my shoulder to no affect.

"Worth a shot though, and no sign of Sanya is not good either if he's needed elsewhere." I said, "I owe it to Thomas to find him though, if only as an excuse to see his sister and abuse her resources and considerable reach," I added even though the two women knew my true motivation.

"How though?" Murphy said with an eyebrow raised.

Me and Bob shared a quick wink as I smiled at Murphy and stroked my mother's five-starred pendant, a similar pendant to the one my brother owned, and replied "with magic."


	11. Chapter 11

So so sorry for the wait guys!

Combo of things that prevented me submitting earlier (writers block, work, sunshine etc.), but I've spent today polishing off not one but two chapters for your pleasure in penance.

As to your query dstorrs you are right in saying that mental summoning is dangerous and requires massive concentration and energy. Just remember that Harry has lost his apartment including his solid gold (?) summoning circle in his basement and all his potions, chalks etc. also Rawlins wouldn't know how combat Harry mentally and Lea wouldn't be able to with Mab "possessing" Harry as winter knight so he wouldn't have any backlash from those two.

I also like to think that he learnt a thing or two about mental summoning in Changes and that he is growing more powerful, but that's just me.

Anyways, Enjoy.

**Chapter 11**

Everything that I had at my apartment was gone, so it was no surprise that we all ended up at Murphy's house a few hours later. As part of Molly's tutelage both under me and my deranged godmother, Molly had managed to get herself quite a modest collection that mirrored most of what I'd lost or managed to remove before my apartment and all its contents went up in flames.

A crude summoning circle and ritual later saw me sitting in Murphy's plush living room stroking my enormous cat, Mister, as I managed to pinpoint the general direction of my brother from my pendant. Mister, for once, seemed content to let me stroke him after he barrelled straight for my shins upon entering what was ostensibly his house now. I allowed myself five minutes of distraction before getting up and leaving the house to the dismay of my furry companion as he looked up unmoving from his spot.

Though Molly and Murphy both accompanied me, little was said as we meandered through the streets. Wherever my brother was, he was on the move, never staying in one place long enough for me to narrow down to a location.

As the search started to enter the more questionable parts of Chicago, we came across areas we remembered from dark magic in the past; including where the black court vamp Mavra holed herself up with Thralls. It was at this point that I really started to fear for my brother, him being in such dark and dismal places. The possibility that the Formor could have built a stronghold here in a place as miserable as this was more than plausible.

Just as my nerves tingled and my hair stood on end, I heard something that stopped me in my tracks. Loud gunfire erupting several hundred yards in front of us and inhuman shrieks rise in reply.

My legs carried me forward in a run before my brain could fully register the noises as gunfire. Molly and Murphy took only a second in following suit but my longer strides quickly left them in the dust. As I skidded round a corner, I saw that I'd landed myself in a full-blown battle.

Dozens of freakish looking men, all with lop-sided, muscular bodies and eerie appendages had managed to corner a man and a woman and now advanced on them threateningly. What made it a slightly fairer fight though was the fact that the cornered duo wielded semi-automatic guns in each hand. A quick look at them told me that the man was Thomas, the other also had the look of a White Court vampire but I didn't recognise her.

My brother and his friend did a fairly good job of keeping their enemy at bay with lightning reflexes and a sniper's aim. That is until their clips ran out at the same time. In the time it took for me to react to the change in the situation, Thomas had unhooked his wicked-looking sabre from over his shoulder and engaged them. The vampire at his side having no such weapon merely used her superior strength to crush anyone getting through Thomas' blistering offense.

It was then that I invited myself to the party. Targeting the nearest freak, I sharply pulled in my will and fear for my brother and shouted, "Laqueus".

A whip-like cord of silver flame erupted from my hand and wrapped around my target. I merely twitched the rope in my direction and the head fell from its shoulders. The cold fury of Winter and shining flame of Soulfire coursing through its length emitting a blinding light as the whip lashed out again and again at those nearest.

The cracking sound of Murphy's guns came into play as our opponents turned to the threat we posed them. Molly though, had somehow appeared at Thomas' side as I could see her quickly talking to him. The next chance I had to look in their direction, I saw Thomas gazing at me completely gobsmacked, his sabre falling from suddenly limp hands.

Though Molly automatically went to retrieve it, she was no swordsman. It was all I could do to yell in their direction, "Get down and shield yourselves now!"

As soon as I saw the hallmark shimmer of Molly's shield energies covering herself, Thomas and his companion I reached once more into my cache of will and Soulfire as I yelled the signature "Fuego forzare!"

My I-beam special may not have the pinpoint accuracy or elegance of more aged Wardens, but that didn't matter. A tongue of fire, a foot in diameter scythed the remaining forces as I wielded the flame left through to right leaving torso's and bottom halves lying next to each other on the ground.

Murphy's guns fell silent as the fire dissipated, the whole area becoming deathly quiet in the aftermath of the confrontation. As I glanced in Thomas' direction I was relieved to see that the trio were still behind Molly's shield in a crouched position. The top of the shield had been shredded to pieces though as my lance of flame passed over their heads.

I watched Molly lower her shield as a wave of exhaustion hit me. It was more from the run to the battle than the actual fight itself as I only used a meagre amount of soulfire to give my spells an extra kick. Having said that, I was still out of breath and the sudden idea of a steak sandwich at Mac's popping into my head was more than a little tempting.

As I approached them, I kept my eyes glued on Thomas' eyes for any sign of what he was thinking. His face was still pale and his eyes gave off a feeling of shock, his expression as a whole though was unfathomable. Was it surprise? Joy? The ghost of the person I saw Uriel was gone and on closer inspection he seemed to have left the despairing and grimy past exactly there. I don't really know what to expect though, I mean, would I really have wanted my brother to shatter like glass in the wake of my death? Standing in front of me Thomas was by no means broken but there was an uncertainty and a faint hope in his eyes behind it all.

Closing to within ten feet of him, the companion moved to his side with all the subtlety she could manage, as if to put herself slightly in front of him and defend him herself. I turned to face her fully then as I knew I had to recognise her duty first, "we come in peace, vampire. You have my word we do not bring violence on you or yours," I said straight up.

The woman, if you could call her that, relaxed her stance slightly before looking at Thomas and nodding, "I shall hold you to that Wizard, and you have ours as well." As if to punctuate her meaning, she immediately reloaded the gun still in her hand.

As I return to look at Thomas, he seems to regain his voice as he says, "I don't believe it!"

I couldn't resist it as I say, "that is why you fail." A laugh bursts out of Molly at the Yoda reference as the corner of Thomas' mouth twitches. At the least my brother has regained a portion of his old humour. "How have you been, bro?" I add before the mask slips back on.

Thomas looks at Molly and Murphy, as if for confirmation that it really is me. As if a Yoda quip and my general appearance isn't enough to convince him. "I'm good. Better now we got rid of that lot," he motioned at the bodies, "they've been hounding me all day, even after I met up with Elisa here," he added by way of introduction to the vampire next to him.

I nod at her in return as I remember why she looked so familiar. Of course, she had been completely devoid of clothing the last time I saw her on the island of Demonreach as she came with Lara Raith and another sister.

"What's with the clothes? I thought they were only optional after the last time I saw you and your sisters?" I ask her innocently.

Molly's and Murphy's eyebrows go up until they disappear into their hair as Elisa smirks by way of reply. "We must have made quite an impression on you," she looked around as she added, "Now is not the time, nor the place to continue our discussion. We have to be someplace else before others come. You are welcome to join us though as you might find it to your benefit as much as ours."

At that note, we gather up Thomas' fallen sabre and discarded guns as well as anything of value from the bodies as sirens begin sounding in the distance. As we walk away from the scene, I hang at the back where Thomas soon joins me in silence with a jostle of the shoulder and short embrace. I let him have a few moments of quiet before I start opening up conversation. What I gathered didn't really have any importance towards my return but it was still good to hear; him and Justine were able to touch one another again, he spent more and more time at the Raith mansion as a result and Justine relayed the fact that Lara had been busy forging relationships with distasteful and honest people alike.

"She made an agreement with Marcone?" I asked surprised as I heard that particular titbit of information. As Thomas confirmed it, I mulled it over. It made sense of course, as it was a mutually beneficial relationship to both of them; they both maintained strict order and hated disorder as well as policing their own people with ruthless efficiency. The two of them could even be of use to the White Council as a way of aid against the Formor in the area.

"That was the conclusion they came to as well," Thomas said as I voiced my insight. He motioned that I look ahead, my gaze following his as I look across the road to discover where our path had led us.

We'd come across a roundabout way to get to it which is why I didn't recognise it immediately but there it was, the same as ever.

McAnally's Pub.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 up as well.

Yippee! And Enjoy!

Don't forget to comment please?

**Chapter 12**

"Lara has arrived as well," Thomas stated as he jogged me out of my momentary reverie, as we crossed the street and passed the vintage car sat outside; a silver Rolls-Royce Wraith similar to the one blown up a while back. I wondered how Lara had swung for a new one or whether she'd somehow salvaged the last one.

It was no surprise then that the usual crowd seen at Mac's was more subdued than it should have been. As I entered, the old-time patrons of the bar all talked in hushed voices as they avoided gazing at one larger table set in the corner. Though I was more than surprised to see who sat at the table.

No one could mistake the huge gorilla for anyone other than the massive Hendrick's. Why he was here though was answered with the man sat immediately to his right; Marcone, his hands set calmly on the edge of the table as he sat in conversation with the person opposite him, the owner of the glamorous car outside. Another person sat with his back to us, though I couldn't help noticing the grey cloak hanging from their shoulders or the scabbard of a sword protruding from his hip.

As our party came into view however, even the hushed conversation vanished into silence as everyone present turned our way. It was hard not to notice our entrance, our gear making for a strange sight even for us. It was Hendrick's who saw us as he alerted the rest of his table, the person with his back to us, leaned back and down as his fingers brushed the floor behind his seat. That was when I realised they were concealing their words behind a circle.

As the fourth member of their conversation turned round, a grin threatened to make an appearance as I made out the face of the youngest regional commander of the wardens; Carlos Ramirez.

He hadn't changed at all. The cocky smile warmed his features the moment he caught sight of me, the swagger in his step still present as he wandered over to me and slapped me on the shoulder.

"Dresden! Of course it had to be you the moment I was ordered here." He said happily. Though his face hadn't changed much, a lot had; the sword at his side and staff in his hand now covered in nicks and scratches from numerous and life-threatening altercations.

"What do you mean ordered?" I asked as I grasped his arm in reply.

He studied my face as he replied, "This morning! McCoy came to see me in person with orders to get to Chicago immediately and to seek out Ms Raith and Mr Marcone here."

"So the Council are talking to them?" I ask.

"Yeah, for a while now. I knew something was up as soon as I saw him outside Edinburgh, the only time he hasn't been holed up there since your disappearance is when he's coordinating offenses with Luccio in the field." Ramirez said before adding, "he'd been out of sorts ever since…"

"….since my brush with death?" I finished.

"I guess, though it could also have been earlier. When you told him about your daughter and the Red Court, the only way he thought he could count on our aid was by telling us everything he knew."

"My daughter…?" I stuttered, "but that means that..."

"…we know you and McCoy are related? Yeah, he told us about that. Even though some of us were already set on going anyway, the others needed help convincing this was an indirect attack on the Senior Council."

I never thought about that in my reasoning at the time. It wouldn't have been just me, my daughter or even my newfound grandfather who'd lose their life, but also the Blackstaff and a member of the Senior Council; the one member of the Council who's allowed to violate the Seven Rules at his own discretion. The Red King not only trumped his daughter's petty vendetta, but also very nearly sent the deadliest of messages to the whole of the White Council; _we can get to any of you_.

"Hell's bells!" I swore, "I never thought about it in that way the entire time."

"I know, it didn't change my decision to come in any case." He said simply; I'd known ever since we'd talked in the hospital after the quashed rebellion within the white Court that Ramirez was a member of the Grey Council. I also knew that as part of the younger generation of wizards, he was amongst those who looked up to me to some extent.

That's three people I now know on the Grey Council; McCoy, Vadderung and Ramirez. Though Vadderung was the only real surprise, it was reassuring to know that I was not alone in walking the fine line I so often find myself in recent times.

I found myself reduced to saying, "Thank you for helping us."

Ramirez nodded before leading the way back to the table. I, of course, stopped at the bar to where Mac waited. As I got there, we wordlessly shook hands. Mac was not much of a talker and was a natural reserved and secretive man but I trusted him and counted him a friend.

"The kid?" he asked, with his hand still in mine.

"Safe," I replied as he let my hand go with a last, reassured squeeze and a grunt. Murphy then showed up at my side with a few bills and a brief word as Mac put some steaks on the grill and shoved his signature dark brew our way, hesitating before including one for Molly, no doubt still considering her too young for such a drink.

We eventually found ourselves at the table, now laden with heavenly steak sandwiches and beer as everyone waited on us to finish in silence. It was a weirdly fun experience; Marcone with his patient, yet cold exterior, Lara watching us as a cautious predator would its prey and Ramirez with his cocky, laid back style, even going to put his feet on the table top until a glare from Mac stopped him.

When I'd finished, I smacked my lips petulantly and took a long draw of my beer before even acknowledging the others. Molly and Murphy apparently showed more tact as they had been finished a while and were waiting on me to start.

"So, I'm gone a couple of months and look at the mess you've made?" I say, with an almost accusatory expression crossing my face as I gaze at everyone in turn, in particular Lara and Marcone.

I'll give it to them; they both manage to hold their own expressions when I say it even if I can tell that underneath that, they aren't amused in the slightest.

"Not our fault, Dresden" Marcone said calmly, "in fact, I would consider the opposite as a possibility. It was not long since your alleged death that everything started going wrong."

"Your point is?" I ask.

"Our point is, when you mess with the Red King and such power as can be found in a confluence as large as Chichen Itza, there are going to be consequences, such as what you see here." Lara answered, as if she was talking to a child.

I'm flummoxed. A political power vacuum I can understand, but by her tone I'm wondering what more there is to it. That's until I think about the bodies we left earlier, bodies with an unusual appearance and inhuman characteristics.

"What do you mean? Surely you can exploit such chaos and control it in the near future," I said, not fully understanding.

"In time, perhaps. Mr Marcone and I could easily have taken control of the situation here in Chicago within weeks. But there are parties coming along that don't bow to the same pressures as those in the past. Those who thrive on such chaos are awakening because of the energy unleashed for the bloodline curse." Lara answered.

"Like what?"

This time Ramirez answered first," like demons from the far reaches of the nevernever, like Fae creatures unaligned with Summer and Winter. When the curse went off, it was also felt in the netherworld, and there are things there that should be left well alone."

"Creatures that rival the strength of the thing that took my brother, the skinwalker for example Dresden," Lara put in as Thomas shuddered against the flow of memories.

Not more of those things? I thought.

Oh Crap!


End file.
